Savage Cultures in Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness :: Heart Darkness essays

Heart of Darkness Essay Savage Cultures Conrad effectively evokes a daydream like image of the jungle by using language. He uses strong intelligence activitys to describe the natives appearances, characteristics and presumed behavior. Very common in his descriptions are the use of in truth strong and erotic words like wild and intense. For example the description of a boat load of natives paddling down stream is distinctly primitive. He says they shouted, and sang their bodies streamed with perspiration they had grotesque masksbut they had bone, muscle, a wild vitality and intense energy of movement(78). In contrast a comparison, to the authors description of a white, affluent, suggestively desirable race, made them appear artificial, sloppy and lethargic. Clearly seen in the following phrase, flabby, pretending, weak-eyed devil of a rapacious and pitiless folly(81). another(prenominal) obvious implication of a primitive and savage culture using language, which gives the reader the illusion of wilderness, is the authors use of the word anthropophaguss. By using the word cannibal the author implies a savage and uncivilized race, since both the word and the act are abrasive. Especially in context with the period this text was written in, 1910. hind end then, the idea of natives in the jungle was a proven fact not a rumor or fantasy. Already afraid of this reality the use of the word made the image of the native more frightening and convoluted. Whereas today, cannibals are hardly threatening at all since the likelihood of their existence is purely fiction. Ironically, Conrad is able to approve the use of this word with a very tender and humorous description of his crew, Fine fellows - cannibals-in their place. They were men one could work withAnd, after all, they did not eat distributively other before my face they brought along a provision of hippo-meat(104). A last description of a native is of Marlows companion the savage who was relief pitcher(106). He too was described to imbue the image of a savage as society had presupposed a native would look like. Marlow describes his native physical traits, outgrowth with a description of his teeth. He said -and he had filed teeth, too, the poor devil, and the wool of his pate shaved into queer patterns, and three ornamental scars on each of his cheeks.